Timey Wimey
Active Member
There's one in another thread. I'll find it then edit this post.
It is the stunt double. I just found out.
It is the stunt double. I just found out.
Black Widow (Age of Ultron) - WIP
- Thread starter andveryginger
- Start date
Hana
New Member
Hello guys, I'm new here.
I'm starting on this project for a con in September... I'll be sharing stuffs on and off...
Yorushiku onegaishimus.
Just ordered some EL lights from China, gonna test them out when they reach...And i realized the EL wired parts are actually red when they are not switched on... I wonder if there is some way to get about doing it. I was thinking of lightly coating with some red lacquer.
I've created a folder on facebook for eveyone's reference, more photos on the way!
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.846066718818096.1073741848.507295259361912&type=3
and here:
http://hollywoodmoviecostumesandprops.blogspot.sg/2015/04/black-widow-and-hawkeye-costumes-from.html
And anyways I just came across some interesting fabric online, hope this helps!
http://www.foamorder.com/neoprene.html
I'm starting on this project for a con in September... I'll be sharing stuffs on and off...
Yorushiku onegaishimus.
Just ordered some EL lights from China, gonna test them out when they reach...And i realized the EL wired parts are actually red when they are not switched on... I wonder if there is some way to get about doing it. I was thinking of lightly coating with some red lacquer.
I've created a folder on facebook for eveyone's reference, more photos on the way!
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.846066718818096.1073741848.507295259361912&type=3
and here:
http://hollywoodmoviecostumesandprops.blogspot.sg/2015/04/black-widow-and-hawkeye-costumes-from.html
And anyways I just came across some interesting fabric online, hope this helps!
http://www.foamorder.com/neoprene.html
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...and I'm still alive. Sort of. It's been a rough year, but I'm finally training back around to work on my DragonCon projects. At this point, I'm not sure I'll finish, but I'm damn well going to try!
Thanks, TimeyWimey, for the link on that pic! If anyone is interested, this is the image I found from the Hot Toys prototype, from Marvel Toy News:
This one is going to be close. At least if I don't get it done, I still have my original costume... and a couple of other surprises for the con. =D
Thanks, TimeyWimey, for the link on that pic! If anyone is interested, this is the image I found from the Hot Toys prototype, from Marvel Toy News:
This one is going to be close. At least if I don't get it done, I still have my original costume... and a couple of other surprises for the con. =D
Phew... Been working fairly consistently on DH's Hawkeye, but finally reaching the point where I can divide my focus a little bit. I did take some time over the past few weeks to test and modify the Simplicity pattern:
(Yes, it's Pepto-Bismol-pink dot spandex. DH and I kept joking that I needed to find more and do a Barbie variant....)
Did a little bit of tweaking beyond what you see here, but overall, I'm pretty happy. For the textured part of the suit, I'm relying on the same matte dot spandex I used for my original Widow suit a couple of years ago. The leather accents -- I'd originally thought to use a matte finish spandex, but ended up finding some fused leather over at fabric.com. It's this gorgeous, buttery, soft leather fused to a woven rayon. It has a surprising amount of give that I'm allocating to the horizontal, allowing for a good fit around the curves. It looks a bit like this:
The fused leather does have its drawbacks, however. I ordered it some time ago and only just unrolled more than a yard or two. When I did, I discovered quite a few ripples -- and they don't always press out. So, in the end, I'm only able to use about half to three-quarters of the width of the fabric, depending on how bad the ripples are. Disappointing, but I should still have plenty to get the job done. As a matter of fact, I have just about all the leather portions of the suit cut, as of this afternoon:
The only thing missing are the pants portions, and they're laying over the back of the chair, out of shot. =)
To add the EL wire, I'm going to add small little pockets to the seams, using turquoise mesh and a black spandex or powermesh backing. This allows me to change out the EL wire in the event of a malfunction, and, while the production stills show coated red/pink wire, the turquoise mesh should give it an "on" appearance all the time. The color actually isn't that far removed from the "white" EL wire I purchased from Adafruit to use in the suit.
In order to add the pockets, I'm actually following a tip from one of my Craftsy classes: Deciding what width I want visible (1/4"), I reduced each seam allowance by half (1/8"). I'll then cut strips that are the visible width (1/4") plus two seam allowances (5/8" x 2 = 1 1/4"), for a mesh strip totalling 1 1/2" wide. The strips will work well for the arms, legs, and side seams of the jacket. For the inset corners on the shoulder, I'll likely have to do a shaped set. Going to be a PITA to sew, but I think the results will be cleaner.
I'd originally planned to use one of the Burda legging patterns for the pants, but opted instead to copy a pair I already have, complete with the seam down the center of the leg. They have wide elastic inset on the sides for a waistband, so I'm debating whether or not I'll do the same thing. I have some left over from the 1920s undergarments I made earlier this year.
My real concern now is what accessories I'm going to be able to finish in time. I'd really like to be able to do the gauntlets, but I'm not sure if I can get them where I'd wear them in the time remaining. I realize now that I should have commissioned those out, the same way we commissioned Clint's quiver out last year. =\ We'll see, though. I've been tinkering with a few things here at my desk, and I may be able to whip something up with some darts, some craft foam, and some worbla left over from my Sif project. Heaven knows I'm getting good at making gauntlets. It's the bites and the charging stations that will slow me down....
The taser batons are definitely out for this round -- I'm going to order the right stuff from The Custom Saber Shop and build them like I have my sabers. That will definitely require more time than I have, as the powder coating process means delivery would take a bit longer. I'd thought to get a couple of blue traffic batons, and get creative with some contact paper or electrical tape... but that felt cheap. Well, at least cheap in comparison to the other stuff I'm putting together. I think I <i>am</i> going to try and at least have some grips to mount to the back of my utility belt.
...which I'll throw together the same way I did my cordura one a few years ago, except I'll use leather for the edging instead of more cordura. I found some old ALICE belt keepers I'm cleaning up and painting silver. They're not exact to the screen, but they're a real-world, practical substitute.
Tomorrow, a bit of revision to Clint's arm guards, and starting to cut the dot spandex and powermesh underlining for Tasha.
Trying not to think how little time I really have...!
(Yes, it's Pepto-Bismol-pink dot spandex. DH and I kept joking that I needed to find more and do a Barbie variant....)
Did a little bit of tweaking beyond what you see here, but overall, I'm pretty happy. For the textured part of the suit, I'm relying on the same matte dot spandex I used for my original Widow suit a couple of years ago. The leather accents -- I'd originally thought to use a matte finish spandex, but ended up finding some fused leather over at fabric.com. It's this gorgeous, buttery, soft leather fused to a woven rayon. It has a surprising amount of give that I'm allocating to the horizontal, allowing for a good fit around the curves. It looks a bit like this:
The fused leather does have its drawbacks, however. I ordered it some time ago and only just unrolled more than a yard or two. When I did, I discovered quite a few ripples -- and they don't always press out. So, in the end, I'm only able to use about half to three-quarters of the width of the fabric, depending on how bad the ripples are. Disappointing, but I should still have plenty to get the job done. As a matter of fact, I have just about all the leather portions of the suit cut, as of this afternoon:
The only thing missing are the pants portions, and they're laying over the back of the chair, out of shot. =)
To add the EL wire, I'm going to add small little pockets to the seams, using turquoise mesh and a black spandex or powermesh backing. This allows me to change out the EL wire in the event of a malfunction, and, while the production stills show coated red/pink wire, the turquoise mesh should give it an "on" appearance all the time. The color actually isn't that far removed from the "white" EL wire I purchased from Adafruit to use in the suit.
In order to add the pockets, I'm actually following a tip from one of my Craftsy classes: Deciding what width I want visible (1/4"), I reduced each seam allowance by half (1/8"). I'll then cut strips that are the visible width (1/4") plus two seam allowances (5/8" x 2 = 1 1/4"), for a mesh strip totalling 1 1/2" wide. The strips will work well for the arms, legs, and side seams of the jacket. For the inset corners on the shoulder, I'll likely have to do a shaped set. Going to be a PITA to sew, but I think the results will be cleaner.
I'd originally planned to use one of the Burda legging patterns for the pants, but opted instead to copy a pair I already have, complete with the seam down the center of the leg. They have wide elastic inset on the sides for a waistband, so I'm debating whether or not I'll do the same thing. I have some left over from the 1920s undergarments I made earlier this year.
My real concern now is what accessories I'm going to be able to finish in time. I'd really like to be able to do the gauntlets, but I'm not sure if I can get them where I'd wear them in the time remaining. I realize now that I should have commissioned those out, the same way we commissioned Clint's quiver out last year. =\ We'll see, though. I've been tinkering with a few things here at my desk, and I may be able to whip something up with some darts, some craft foam, and some worbla left over from my Sif project. Heaven knows I'm getting good at making gauntlets. It's the bites and the charging stations that will slow me down....
The taser batons are definitely out for this round -- I'm going to order the right stuff from The Custom Saber Shop and build them like I have my sabers. That will definitely require more time than I have, as the powder coating process means delivery would take a bit longer. I'd thought to get a couple of blue traffic batons, and get creative with some contact paper or electrical tape... but that felt cheap. Well, at least cheap in comparison to the other stuff I'm putting together. I think I <i>am</i> going to try and at least have some grips to mount to the back of my utility belt.
...which I'll throw together the same way I did my cordura one a few years ago, except I'll use leather for the edging instead of more cordura. I found some old ALICE belt keepers I'm cleaning up and painting silver. They're not exact to the screen, but they're a real-world, practical substitute.
Tomorrow, a bit of revision to Clint's arm guards, and starting to cut the dot spandex and powermesh underlining for Tasha.
Trying not to think how little time I really have...!
Clint ended up being more fussy than I'd originally thought -- who knew?! -- so I only got to cut the power mesh and the turquoise mesh for Tasha today. The pattern pieces feel pretty good, and I think they'd do an excellent job in helping to smooth my silhouette. Especially if I can remember not to slouch!
I also cut the turquoise mesh strips and pieces today, and played around with the layering:
I think I like the look of it. This part will be a little fussy, itself -- this is the back insert. I think I'll only need the left and right sides, and snip this down the middle, provided my modifications worked out correctly. While I'm confident on the rest of the mods, this is the one that I worry about the most. Might have to do a another mock-up of this section before I put the pieces together... though, thankfully, this will be the spandex portion and stitches don't show once the fabric is hit with a light bit of steam.
I should also post a pic or two of the EL wire in the mesh. Will try and do that tomorrow, as soon as I bring my electronics kit back upstairs. =)
Since I'll probably still be waiting for DH to paint the arm guard hardware for Clint, I'll likely end up working on the belt some this weekend, too. Just when I thought I could roll the leather back up and put it away!
I also cut the turquoise mesh strips and pieces today, and played around with the layering:
I think I like the look of it. This part will be a little fussy, itself -- this is the back insert. I think I'll only need the left and right sides, and snip this down the middle, provided my modifications worked out correctly. While I'm confident on the rest of the mods, this is the one that I worry about the most. Might have to do a another mock-up of this section before I put the pieces together... though, thankfully, this will be the spandex portion and stitches don't show once the fabric is hit with a light bit of steam.
I should also post a pic or two of the EL wire in the mesh. Will try and do that tomorrow, as soon as I bring my electronics kit back upstairs. =)
Since I'll probably still be waiting for DH to paint the arm guard hardware for Clint, I'll likely end up working on the belt some this weekend, too. Just when I thought I could roll the leather back up and put it away!
Not much progress today, as today was "date day" -- DH and I went out for lunch; went to see The Man from U.N.C.L.E.; and then went to Lowe's... as one does on a date. Or at least, a date when you've got DragonCon in about three weeks, and costume accessories to finish. Picked up some 3/4" PVC to start some baton grips out of. Not ideal, but until I am ready to order my bits from TCSS, they'll do.
Finished cutting the main components from the dot spandex today... only to realize that I should cut a couple of extra to practice a technique or two on before I actually get started. Going to do the jacket/top first, I think, as it's going to be the fussiest. Best to handle that before I go into panic mode next week. Maybe if I get it done, there won't be panicking. (Hah!)
To that end, I did squeeze in some test stitching tonight. First up was the pintucks for the shoulder inset. I tried two different widths, and ended up preferring the narrower of the two. Going back and looking at the reference images, however, I think they're corded tucks, probably done with a twin needle. The Kenmore has been my go-to machine thus far, but it doesn't have the capability to use a twin needle; I hesitate to switch to my newer Brother because I've been having so many issues with it skipping stitches. Yes, they could be a combination of operator and fabric issues, but it still makes me wary. Maybe I'll run a few tests and see what I come up with. I'd have to buy a new twin needle, actually, as all I have are ballpoint.
The pintuck test:
You may notice the thread color. I pulled this out of my stash, left over from a 1930s evening gown I did a couple of years ago. It's Gutermann 233, and it's close -- a perfect blue-gray, but I think it may be a shade too light. I think I may pop over to Joann's and see if I can get something a half-step darker. Still, it looks halfway decent in the triple stitching test I did tonight:
I also ran some test stitching to determine the best combination of zig-zag, serger, and straight stitching necessary to get the look I want. In the interests of strength and flexibility, I'm probably going to do as much as I can on the serger, especially on the pants. The more precise bits -- the inset shoulder piece and inset back piece -- I'll definitely put through the sewing machine.
Still love this fabric, and adding the power mesh makes it much more interesting to work with. Still trying to determine the best way to work with the two layers -- simply underlining or, as others have done on different projects, constructing the mesh portion as a slightly smaller, separate layer so as to help smooth the lumps a bit. I'm leaning toward simple underlining. Adding the layer changes the hand of the spandex enough that I'd be concerned about too much reduction in stretch for the suit. I want it to smooth, not make me feel like sausage in a casing!
Tomorrow, a practice run or two with the trim and the EL wire pockets, and then on to main construction on the jacket. More than a little nervous!
Finished cutting the main components from the dot spandex today... only to realize that I should cut a couple of extra to practice a technique or two on before I actually get started. Going to do the jacket/top first, I think, as it's going to be the fussiest. Best to handle that before I go into panic mode next week. Maybe if I get it done, there won't be panicking. (Hah!)
To that end, I did squeeze in some test stitching tonight. First up was the pintucks for the shoulder inset. I tried two different widths, and ended up preferring the narrower of the two. Going back and looking at the reference images, however, I think they're corded tucks, probably done with a twin needle. The Kenmore has been my go-to machine thus far, but it doesn't have the capability to use a twin needle; I hesitate to switch to my newer Brother because I've been having so many issues with it skipping stitches. Yes, they could be a combination of operator and fabric issues, but it still makes me wary. Maybe I'll run a few tests and see what I come up with. I'd have to buy a new twin needle, actually, as all I have are ballpoint.
The pintuck test:
You may notice the thread color. I pulled this out of my stash, left over from a 1930s evening gown I did a couple of years ago. It's Gutermann 233, and it's close -- a perfect blue-gray, but I think it may be a shade too light. I think I may pop over to Joann's and see if I can get something a half-step darker. Still, it looks halfway decent in the triple stitching test I did tonight:
I also ran some test stitching to determine the best combination of zig-zag, serger, and straight stitching necessary to get the look I want. In the interests of strength and flexibility, I'm probably going to do as much as I can on the serger, especially on the pants. The more precise bits -- the inset shoulder piece and inset back piece -- I'll definitely put through the sewing machine.
Still love this fabric, and adding the power mesh makes it much more interesting to work with. Still trying to determine the best way to work with the two layers -- simply underlining or, as others have done on different projects, constructing the mesh portion as a slightly smaller, separate layer so as to help smooth the lumps a bit. I'm leaning toward simple underlining. Adding the layer changes the hand of the spandex enough that I'd be concerned about too much reduction in stretch for the suit. I want it to smooth, not make me feel like sausage in a casing!
Tomorrow, a practice run or two with the trim and the EL wire pockets, and then on to main construction on the jacket. More than a little nervous!
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Thanks, Yrien! I'm excited to see it, too! =D
And I dunno about sewing skills surpassing -- it's all about trial and error. I also have had a few good teachers: my mother; my grandmother; and my mother-in-law. Honestly, my MIL has been very patient and awesome, answering oddball questions that come up as I've worked on my DragonCon projects over the past few years. Since she was a pro (she did custom christening gowns for years) and she's local, she bears the brunt of things!
Went and picked up a handful of blue thread this afternoon. Now to play and see which color is going to work...
And I dunno about sewing skills surpassing -- it's all about trial and error. I also have had a few good teachers: my mother; my grandmother; and my mother-in-law. Honestly, my MIL has been very patient and awesome, answering oddball questions that come up as I've worked on my DragonCon projects over the past few years. Since she was a pro (she did custom christening gowns for years) and she's local, she bears the brunt of things!
Went and picked up a handful of blue thread this afternoon. Now to play and see which color is going to work...
A few more tests today, as I had to be out, running errands for a larger portion of the day.
These are some test stitches done with my twin needle. The definition seen with the corded tucks versus the plain stitched/tension formed tucks leads me to believe I'll need to do the same on the final shoulder panel. This particular twin needle, however, is a bit wide. They come in 1.6mm, 2.0mm, 3.0mm, 4.0mm, and 6.0mm. The 2.0mm I have is a bit too narrow, so I've ordered a 3.0mm, hoping that will be just enough difference to get the look I want. Bought the narrower cording tonight, while looking around for the 3.0mm needle and a pintuck foot. I found neither. Thankfully, I can order from Amazon. =D
And I finally did some proof of concept for the EL wire pockets on the seams. No top stitching for this at the moment, just testing out seam allowances and such. Will have to adjust the seam allowance from 5/8" to 3/8" to get the appropriate spacing (I missed compensating for turn-of-cloth when doing the math -- this is why I'm a politics major, not an engineer!). This will end up being a good thing, as the leather has less give than the spandex, even with the power mesh. I'd thought to do these in clear vinyl, but decided against it, recognizing how much stretch and mobility I'd lose.
And now a very serious faceplant into my pillow. It's been a long two days.
These are some test stitches done with my twin needle. The definition seen with the corded tucks versus the plain stitched/tension formed tucks leads me to believe I'll need to do the same on the final shoulder panel. This particular twin needle, however, is a bit wide. They come in 1.6mm, 2.0mm, 3.0mm, 4.0mm, and 6.0mm. The 2.0mm I have is a bit too narrow, so I've ordered a 3.0mm, hoping that will be just enough difference to get the look I want. Bought the narrower cording tonight, while looking around for the 3.0mm needle and a pintuck foot. I found neither. Thankfully, I can order from Amazon. =D
And I finally did some proof of concept for the EL wire pockets on the seams. No top stitching for this at the moment, just testing out seam allowances and such. Will have to adjust the seam allowance from 5/8" to 3/8" to get the appropriate spacing (I missed compensating for turn-of-cloth when doing the math -- this is why I'm a politics major, not an engineer!). This will end up being a good thing, as the leather has less give than the spandex, even with the power mesh. I'd thought to do these in clear vinyl, but decided against it, recognizing how much stretch and mobility I'd lose.
And now a very serious faceplant into my pillow. It's been a long two days.
Yrien
Sr Member
Well, you definitely have more knowledge than me! So far I have sewed several circle skirts with elastic waistbands (the easy way!), one oversized Dwarf shirt (from a stretch knit material so it was very forgiving of my mistakes and still mostly fit!), a Hobbit vest (that I got a lot of help with from a more knowledgeable friend), and some catnip pillows and other various simple items like that. So I'm still very much a beginner to all of this! I will take lessons at some point, I've just been way too busy this summer (and my convention is in a couple of weeks, AUGH!!!).
I love the way the wire looks so far!
I love the way the wire looks so far!
Lots and lots and lots of Google, my friend. And annoying my MIL with questions. And Craftsy, believe it or not. One of the "So Many Professional Techniques" classes featured the mesh insert -- I just took it a step further and used two layers of mesh to form a pocket, rather than just leaving it as just an accent. (Note: "Sew Like a Designer: Fashion Details" is the actual class. =) )
I also credit Craftsy with helping me get over the fear of using my serger. The beginner serger class was really good, breaking things down, and helping me get comfortable with the machine by doing a few simple projects. After buying an embroidery machine last year, it's apparent I'm going to have to do the same thing there, too, even after the intro class with the sewing machine shop!
For Widow, Got a later start today, after venturing out to take care of the real life necessities -- food, an oil change, and picking up a pintuck foot. Okay, so the pintuck foot isn't a real life necessity, but I'll need it in a day or two when I finally get to the shoulder insets.
Before I had to go and get ready for the show last night, I was trying to get the inset corners for the front panels done, and get the front panels themselves assembled. When I started running out of time, I decided, "Okay, how about just one panel done?" I kept working much later than I should have, and ended up getting very frustrated with the convex-concave fit of the underbust seams. Thus, I was not looking forward to getting started this morning.
A little rest did help me tackle the problem with a clearer head. Part of the problem is the Simplicity pattern: This is one of the first spandex/stretch knit patterns I've seen that have a 5/8" seam allowance. So, because of the differences in existing fabric of the two curves at the 5/8" allowance, trying to get them to align was going to be touchy. Googling a few things reminded me -- "Hey, dummy! You can reduce the seam allowance to help get them to fit!" To quote Grue, "LIGHTBULB!"
Reducing the seam allowance to 1/4", I tried again and BINGO! It worked:
With one side done, I then went back and did the inset corners with the mesh, and pieced together the opposite front panel.
I repeated the seam reduction procedure on the side front panels, though I had to be more cautious: I only get one shot with the leather. If I screwed up, I was cutting more pieces. Ugh.
And, because I shifted to the leather, no more pins. It was time to bring out the clips -- lots and lots of clips:
Once I got the side front panels stitched up, I was finally able to go to step 1 in the original pattern directions: Stitch pattern front and pattern side front together at the princess seam, then press. The leather, of course, complicates things, as does the need to make sure that the underbust seams line up as perfectly as possible. I ended up dragging out the WonderTape and using it to baste the underbust seams in alignment. I then stitched down from the underbust seam before turning everything over and sewed up from the underbust seam, not unlike the inset corners I did yesterday and this morning.
The underbust seams aligned perfectly, and I was stoked. Because of all the curves in these pieces, however, pressing on a tailor's ham is not optional. I grabbed mine, the stand, and my invaluable rajah press cloth and went to work.
Once pressed, the end result looked like the pic below -- a bit rippled when laid out flat.
It looked a little better on the dress form, though it was definitely missing the support and stretch from the other panels.
The underbust looks a bit low here, but that's mostly because my dress form isn't quite the same at the underbust, nor at the bust (they're off a bit, vertically), even with the help of one of my old bras. I also planned a bit of a gap, knowing that the power mesh reinforcement on the torso would hug the waist a bit more, requiring a bit more room to fit over the bust. Even if I overestimated, the damage is done now... but at least I wasn't quite as overenthusiastic as I was with my Sif armor last year. =D
So it's coming together, but a slow and steady pace is necessary for this part. The back will be slightly easier -- no inset corners -- and the pants will be a lot easier, though I still need to resolve what I'm going to do about the waistline. I rather suspect I will simply add some wide-ish elastic as both waistband and turn it under for facing, too. It's going to be hidden beneath the jacket and the velcro I intend to use will ensure it stays that way!
Now to have a little down time before I try and crash for the night. More updates tomorrow, I suspect...
I also credit Craftsy with helping me get over the fear of using my serger. The beginner serger class was really good, breaking things down, and helping me get comfortable with the machine by doing a few simple projects. After buying an embroidery machine last year, it's apparent I'm going to have to do the same thing there, too, even after the intro class with the sewing machine shop!
For Widow, Got a later start today, after venturing out to take care of the real life necessities -- food, an oil change, and picking up a pintuck foot. Okay, so the pintuck foot isn't a real life necessity, but I'll need it in a day or two when I finally get to the shoulder insets.
Before I had to go and get ready for the show last night, I was trying to get the inset corners for the front panels done, and get the front panels themselves assembled. When I started running out of time, I decided, "Okay, how about just one panel done?" I kept working much later than I should have, and ended up getting very frustrated with the convex-concave fit of the underbust seams. Thus, I was not looking forward to getting started this morning.
A little rest did help me tackle the problem with a clearer head. Part of the problem is the Simplicity pattern: This is one of the first spandex/stretch knit patterns I've seen that have a 5/8" seam allowance. So, because of the differences in existing fabric of the two curves at the 5/8" allowance, trying to get them to align was going to be touchy. Googling a few things reminded me -- "Hey, dummy! You can reduce the seam allowance to help get them to fit!" To quote Grue, "LIGHTBULB!"
Reducing the seam allowance to 1/4", I tried again and BINGO! It worked:
With one side done, I then went back and did the inset corners with the mesh, and pieced together the opposite front panel.
I repeated the seam reduction procedure on the side front panels, though I had to be more cautious: I only get one shot with the leather. If I screwed up, I was cutting more pieces. Ugh.
And, because I shifted to the leather, no more pins. It was time to bring out the clips -- lots and lots of clips:
Once I got the side front panels stitched up, I was finally able to go to step 1 in the original pattern directions: Stitch pattern front and pattern side front together at the princess seam, then press. The leather, of course, complicates things, as does the need to make sure that the underbust seams line up as perfectly as possible. I ended up dragging out the WonderTape and using it to baste the underbust seams in alignment. I then stitched down from the underbust seam before turning everything over and sewed up from the underbust seam, not unlike the inset corners I did yesterday and this morning.
The underbust seams aligned perfectly, and I was stoked. Because of all the curves in these pieces, however, pressing on a tailor's ham is not optional. I grabbed mine, the stand, and my invaluable rajah press cloth and went to work.
Once pressed, the end result looked like the pic below -- a bit rippled when laid out flat.
It looked a little better on the dress form, though it was definitely missing the support and stretch from the other panels.
The underbust looks a bit low here, but that's mostly because my dress form isn't quite the same at the underbust, nor at the bust (they're off a bit, vertically), even with the help of one of my old bras. I also planned a bit of a gap, knowing that the power mesh reinforcement on the torso would hug the waist a bit more, requiring a bit more room to fit over the bust. Even if I overestimated, the damage is done now... but at least I wasn't quite as overenthusiastic as I was with my Sif armor last year. =D
So it's coming together, but a slow and steady pace is necessary for this part. The back will be slightly easier -- no inset corners -- and the pants will be a lot easier, though I still need to resolve what I'm going to do about the waistline. I rather suspect I will simply add some wide-ish elastic as both waistband and turn it under for facing, too. It's going to be hidden beneath the jacket and the velcro I intend to use will ensure it stays that way!
Now to have a little down time before I try and crash for the night. More updates tomorrow, I suspect...
Just a quick update, as most of the construction this evening was fairly straight forward:
I'll admit that I cheated a bit on the inset this time -- I turned the seam allowances and top stitched instead of doing two inset corners. The end result is very similar to the original, and imitates the way the EL wire in the stunt suit pokes back into the garment:
I'd wanted to get all the way to step 2 on the original pattern instructions -- stitching front to back at shoulders and side seams -- but had to stop just short. Adding the EL wire pockets to the side seams added a few extra minutes, and Thursday is my online RPG night. Provided, of course, that I can stay awake... =)
I'll admit that I cheated a bit on the inset this time -- I turned the seam allowances and top stitched instead of doing two inset corners. The end result is very similar to the original, and imitates the way the EL wire in the stunt suit pokes back into the garment:
I'd wanted to get all the way to step 2 on the original pattern instructions -- stitching front to back at shoulders and side seams -- but had to stop just short. Adding the EL wire pockets to the side seams added a few extra minutes, and Thursday is my online RPG night. Provided, of course, that I can stay awake... =)
Another busy day away from the sewing room, so another short update.
Got the torso together on the shoulders and side seams -- step 2 on the original instructions. Yay! Ended up top stitching the seam allowances on the side seams, as the excess from the EL wire channels wasn't laying properly. The top stitching not only did that, but is definitely helping with the shape of the garment. Between that and the power mesh layer, I might not have to wear a cincher with this!
The next step for me will be top stitching the three rows of support stitching on the bustline. Since that will be tedious, preferably done in one go, and it's already after 10 PM here, I'm saving it till the weekend. Going to have to be very, very busy over the next week!
ETA: Of course, digging through more reference images, I see now that all the sloppy Chinese costumes are doing something similar -- adding in turquoise trim where the EL wire is supposed to be. ::sigh:: Perhaps I should have used the clear vinyl. As always, hindsight is 20/20. =\
Got the torso together on the shoulders and side seams -- step 2 on the original instructions. Yay! Ended up top stitching the seam allowances on the side seams, as the excess from the EL wire channels wasn't laying properly. The top stitching not only did that, but is definitely helping with the shape of the garment. Between that and the power mesh layer, I might not have to wear a cincher with this!
The next step for me will be top stitching the three rows of support stitching on the bustline. Since that will be tedious, preferably done in one go, and it's already after 10 PM here, I'm saving it till the weekend. Going to have to be very, very busy over the next week!
ETA: Of course, digging through more reference images, I see now that all the sloppy Chinese costumes are doing something similar -- adding in turquoise trim where the EL wire is supposed to be. ::sigh:: Perhaps I should have used the clear vinyl. As always, hindsight is 20/20. =\
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Yrien
Sr Member
Wow, that is looking spectacular! And there's no danger of this getting mistaken for a cheap Chinese knockoff. 
I actually think the turquoise trim is going to be the better idea - the lighting (and flash photography) isn't always going to show off the EL wire very well, and having the actual coloured trim there will make it look good no matter what. I think if you'd gone with clear vinyl over EL wire, it wouldn't have necessarily shown up well in every picture.
I actually think the turquoise trim is going to be the better idea - the lighting (and flash photography) isn't always going to show off the EL wire very well, and having the actual coloured trim there will make it look good no matter what. I think if you'd gone with clear vinyl over EL wire, it wouldn't have necessarily shown up well in every picture.
Thank you! It's certainly a lot of work... but then, so was Hawkeye, though I didn't take the time to document it as well. On the other hand, it didn't require quite as much trial and error with new techniques!
And thank you for that... I really hope it looks better than the Chinese knockoffs. =D The idea was that the turquoise mesh would be more consistent. I'm actually wondering if the original was EL wire or if it was some sort of wire, set up to glow under blue lights or something, so they could find it easier in post for enhancement. One of the behind the scenes shots I saw made me wonder.
It's been a busy weekend, and between family birthdays and a rather nasty migraine, I didn't end up spending much time in the sewing room at all. I made sure to get a few things done, however, so I decided to tackle the pintucks and the reverse applique on the shoulder overlays. I'd already marked up the reverse side of the leather, so I started by cutting them, much the way one might if one were doing a jetted pocket or an inset zipper. Since I'd done two on Hawkeye, this was a familiar sight:
Snipped open along the cutting lines, I then pressed the flaps back, so I had my opening:
Prior to this, I'd already done the pintucked panels. Using a 5-groove pintuck foot and a 3.0 mm twin needle on the NX-450, I ramped up the thread tension and got fairly good results. When I tested it against a corded tuck using embroidery floss as the core, there was little difference. So I went ahead with the simpler process:
I then took a second to see which type of bead I wanted to use. I suspect that the original are zipper stops, like we've seen on Loki and so many others. I opted instead for gold Czech glass beads:
On the left, the bugle beads; on the right, some larger beads I'd found at Hobby Lobby. I decided the bugle beads were the way to go.
That decision made, I moved on to the Kenmore to do the top stitching. Slow and steady won the race, and I was much happier with these results than some of my earlier attempts. I snapped a pic, with the beads, just to see how it would look. Not too bad, even if I do say so myself. =D
One problem with the panels, though -- I confess I messed up the patterning, thinking that these were going to be tucked in to the neckline. They're not. They'll align with the mesh inset, and be top stitched in place. This error also means that, to turn the edges and align it, they won't extend quite as far down the length of the back inset as I'd thought, either. I could re-pattern, recut, and redo... or I could just let it ride. It will work either way, and look fine. But that's a decision I'll make in the morning, when I've had a little more time to shut the muses up (of course they want to write fic while I'm under deadline!), and get a good night's sleep.
And thank you for that... I really hope it looks better than the Chinese knockoffs. =D The idea was that the turquoise mesh would be more consistent. I'm actually wondering if the original was EL wire or if it was some sort of wire, set up to glow under blue lights or something, so they could find it easier in post for enhancement. One of the behind the scenes shots I saw made me wonder.
It's been a busy weekend, and between family birthdays and a rather nasty migraine, I didn't end up spending much time in the sewing room at all. I made sure to get a few things done, however, so I decided to tackle the pintucks and the reverse applique on the shoulder overlays. I'd already marked up the reverse side of the leather, so I started by cutting them, much the way one might if one were doing a jetted pocket or an inset zipper. Since I'd done two on Hawkeye, this was a familiar sight:
Snipped open along the cutting lines, I then pressed the flaps back, so I had my opening:
Prior to this, I'd already done the pintucked panels. Using a 5-groove pintuck foot and a 3.0 mm twin needle on the NX-450, I ramped up the thread tension and got fairly good results. When I tested it against a corded tuck using embroidery floss as the core, there was little difference. So I went ahead with the simpler process:
I then took a second to see which type of bead I wanted to use. I suspect that the original are zipper stops, like we've seen on Loki and so many others. I opted instead for gold Czech glass beads:
On the left, the bugle beads; on the right, some larger beads I'd found at Hobby Lobby. I decided the bugle beads were the way to go.
That decision made, I moved on to the Kenmore to do the top stitching. Slow and steady won the race, and I was much happier with these results than some of my earlier attempts. I snapped a pic, with the beads, just to see how it would look. Not too bad, even if I do say so myself. =D
One problem with the panels, though -- I confess I messed up the patterning, thinking that these were going to be tucked in to the neckline. They're not. They'll align with the mesh inset, and be top stitched in place. This error also means that, to turn the edges and align it, they won't extend quite as far down the length of the back inset as I'd thought, either. I could re-pattern, recut, and redo... or I could just let it ride. It will work either way, and look fine. But that's a decision I'll make in the morning, when I've had a little more time to shut the muses up (of course they want to write fic while I'm under deadline!), and get a good night's sleep.
Yrien
Sr Member
Wow that looks super clean. Great job!
I didn't get much done this weekend either between two birthday parties, a meeting with my writing group, and a D&D session. At least I didn't have a migraine! That's never fun.
As much as I don't have time to work on fic right now (though I did get almost 700 words done yesterday while at my writing group!) I totally wish my muses would come back. I've been struggling to write anything for weeks.
I didn't get much done this weekend either between two birthday parties, a meeting with my writing group, and a D&D session. At least I didn't have a migraine! That's never fun.
As much as I don't have time to work on fic right now (though I did get almost 700 words done yesterday while at my writing group!) I totally wish my muses would come back. I've been struggling to write anything for weeks.
Thanks -- I was pretty happy with the way those actually turned out. =D
The muses haven't left me alone in months, actually. I'm not really complaining -- I had a dry spell that lasted almost two years -- but it has meant that balancing the right brain-left brain functions of sewing and writing has been a challenge. I got sucked into fandom for Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries (Netflix), an Australian series set in 1929 Melbourne. The costume porn was enough; add in some serious, serious UST between the leads, and I was lost! I actually lost time on my DC costumes because I was working on 1920s/1930s clothing for a trip to the costume exhibition in June. Needless to say, the muses have been quite vocal, wallowing in the new sandbox. I've got a work in progress that, so far, is longer than anything I've written, hitting just over 40k words and probably about 30-40k more to go before all is said and done. ::headdesk::
And then the muses decided that Miss Fisher needed a crossover with Mrs Bradley, and well... I think I've decided my muses aren't muses. They're actually zombies. It would explain the way they've eaten my brain since February/March.
So many things need to be done, so I'm struggling to get myself in the sewing room today. I threw another coat of paint on Hawkeye's arm guard hardware (I could only find plastic in the shape I wanted, so paint!), and a coat of primer on my cap-gun revolver for the Miss Fisher bit I'm throwing together. So...I'm being productive, just not necessarily on Widow.
Also debating what I consider the "base costume," as I think about what I'm going to have time to finish before con. The main quandary is the gauntlets and bites. I've been playing with some sketches and Heaven knows I have plenty of worbla and craft foam. But I've not built anything yet. Gotta get on it, if I'm going to. Should have tried to commission them out earlier, but I didn't think Hawkeye would be so time-consuming. And then there's always the trouble of finding someone reputable... who is also willing to return your e-mails.
And now... back to work. Or writing. Or something other than browsing RPF. =D
The muses haven't left me alone in months, actually. I'm not really complaining -- I had a dry spell that lasted almost two years -- but it has meant that balancing the right brain-left brain functions of sewing and writing has been a challenge. I got sucked into fandom for Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries (Netflix), an Australian series set in 1929 Melbourne. The costume porn was enough; add in some serious, serious UST between the leads, and I was lost! I actually lost time on my DC costumes because I was working on 1920s/1930s clothing for a trip to the costume exhibition in June. Needless to say, the muses have been quite vocal, wallowing in the new sandbox. I've got a work in progress that, so far, is longer than anything I've written, hitting just over 40k words and probably about 30-40k more to go before all is said and done. ::headdesk::
And then the muses decided that Miss Fisher needed a crossover with Mrs Bradley, and well... I think I've decided my muses aren't muses. They're actually zombies. It would explain the way they've eaten my brain since February/March.
So many things need to be done, so I'm struggling to get myself in the sewing room today. I threw another coat of paint on Hawkeye's arm guard hardware (I could only find plastic in the shape I wanted, so paint!), and a coat of primer on my cap-gun revolver for the Miss Fisher bit I'm throwing together. So...I'm being productive, just not necessarily on Widow.
Also debating what I consider the "base costume," as I think about what I'm going to have time to finish before con. The main quandary is the gauntlets and bites. I've been playing with some sketches and Heaven knows I have plenty of worbla and craft foam. But I've not built anything yet. Gotta get on it, if I'm going to. Should have tried to commission them out earlier, but I didn't think Hawkeye would be so time-consuming. And then there's always the trouble of finding someone reputable... who is also willing to return your e-mails.
And now... back to work. Or writing. Or something other than browsing RPF. =D
Yrien
Sr Member
I got bit hard by bunnies for the characters my friends and I were playing in Star Wars: The Old Republic a couple of years ago. I have two 85k+ fics finished (by far the longest things I've ever written!), and a third one on the go but I'm finding the third one hard to finish since I haven't played in over a year. I also need to come up with an idea for NaNoWriMo this November. I will probably brainstorm on the way to my con next weekend since we have a 4-hour car ride. I have a vague idea but I need some serious work on plot and characters before I can even think about starting it!
I've never heard of that show, but it sounds interesting! I will add it to my "to watch" list (which just keeps growing, lol!).
I got started on my (comics) Hawkeye quiver yesterday and cut out some craft foam to fletch my fake arrows. I'm maybe going to try to make my quiver able to hold a bottle of water under the fake arrows since I won't have a backpack or anything else to carry it in! So I was moderately productive, but I kept getting distracted by binging Brooklyn Nine-Nine on Netflix. I also have to figure out an arm guard but since I'm working on a comics version it doesn't have to be "screen-accurate" so I have some leeway. I'll probably do craft foam (maybe with worbla but I may run out of time to smooth and paint it) and elastic straps so it's easy to get on and off. And I have to figure out a fake arrow to pose with (my con doesn't allow bow strings, but I'd at least like something to hold with the bow!). Ideally I'd like to make an arrowhead with a blinking light so it looks like it might explode or something. Oh yeah, and I still have to finish the last couple of details and paint the bow.
I wish I could take a few days off work this week because I'm a little concerned about finishing everything. We're leaving next Wednesday morning, eek! At least I think I've got everything finished for all my other costumes so this is the last one!
I'm very keen to see all your finishing details since what I've seen so far is so impressive!
I've never heard of that show, but it sounds interesting! I will add it to my "to watch" list (which just keeps growing, lol!).
I got started on my (comics) Hawkeye quiver yesterday and cut out some craft foam to fletch my fake arrows. I'm maybe going to try to make my quiver able to hold a bottle of water under the fake arrows since I won't have a backpack or anything else to carry it in! So I was moderately productive, but I kept getting distracted by binging Brooklyn Nine-Nine on Netflix.
I also have to figure out an arm guard but since I'm working on a comics version it doesn't have to be "screen-accurate" so I have some leeway. I'll probably do craft foam (maybe with worbla but I may run out of time to smooth and paint it) and elastic straps so it's easy to get on and off. And I have to figure out a fake arrow to pose with (my con doesn't allow bow strings, but I'd at least like something to hold with the bow!). Ideally I'd like to make an arrowhead with a blinking light so it looks like it might explode or something. Oh yeah, and I still have to finish the last couple of details and paint the bow.I wish I could take a few days off work this week because I'm a little concerned about finishing everything. We're leaving next Wednesday morning, eek! At least I think I've got everything finished for all my other costumes so this is the last one!
I'm very keen to see all your finishing details since what I've seen so far is so impressive!
It's funny -- I'd thought that the background I wrote for my Star Wars Galaxies character, and then modified for my TOR character was going to be my NaNo project year before last. I got a lot of outlining and a lot of research and backstory filled in, but the actual story never quite came together for me. I keep coming back to her, though, so we'll see. I've also still got a profic laying around that needs attention.
We did Hawkeye a couple of years ago, after The Avengers came out. We ended up using wooden dowels for the shaft, black duct tape for the fletchings, and pencil erasers that had been painted silver for the basic arrowhead. We've had to peace tie the bow a time or two but, because we don't have real arrows, they haven't given us too much fuss. (Unlike the year I went as Abigail Whistler. The arrows hadn't been cut, nor the points installed, but because they were real and the bow was real I had some issues.)
Today was a day where I was more inclined to work at my desk, as we had some contractors in, doing electrical work. Ended up drawing up the design for the gauntlets and cutting the craft foam core for the worbla for them. I'm still figuring out the bites to go around the gauntlet and under the recharge-control...thing on her forearm.
Once they were done playing with the wiring, I was able to get into the sewing room. Got the duster and godet hemmed; hemmed the sleeves on the undershirt. All that remains is to finish the arm guards and slip-stitch a couple of places where top stitching would have been a serious problem -- around the pockets and the facings on the arms.
Finally moved over to Tasha about three hours ago. My intention for tonight was to finally hem the bloody thing and get the zipper in. I'd already basted the hem, drawing up on the bobbin thread to help fit the curves. Today, I ironed it and took it to the machine. I opted for a long straight stitch, as I knew there shouldn't be too much stretch left in the hem. I was wrong. ::sigh:: Took it out and redid it with a narrow zigzag, and things were much smoother.
Yesterday, when I basted the hem, I also put two strips of interfacing on the front, to keep the fabric from stretching when I put the zipper in. This is a lesson from hard experience on my previous costumes, and one I think I've finally mastered. Keeping the bustline seams aligned with a separating zipper caused a bit of anxiety, but I took my time and things worked out beautifully. There may have been a Snoopy!dance involved once I tried it on this evening...
So excited with how well the bustline seams lined up -- I cannot tell you how excited!
I still need to top stitch the front, but I need to check my collar alignment first, as I made a bit of a mod to the front that will need to be top stitched down along with the zip.
It's odd -- because the bust portion isn't lined with the power mesh, and because the light is hitting it differently than the torso, it looks like different colors. Believe it or not, it's the same fabric, cut in the same direction, under the same lighting. The angle and stress is just completely different!
And the turquoise strips almost look like they're glowing...
Now, off to commune with the muses. I really need to update my outline for the changes the characters wrought in the last two chapters...
We did Hawkeye a couple of years ago, after The Avengers came out. We ended up using wooden dowels for the shaft, black duct tape for the fletchings, and pencil erasers that had been painted silver for the basic arrowhead. We've had to peace tie the bow a time or two but, because we don't have real arrows, they haven't given us too much fuss. (Unlike the year I went as Abigail Whistler. The arrows hadn't been cut, nor the points installed, but because they were real and the bow was real I had some issues.)
Today was a day where I was more inclined to work at my desk, as we had some contractors in, doing electrical work. Ended up drawing up the design for the gauntlets and cutting the craft foam core for the worbla for them. I'm still figuring out the bites to go around the gauntlet and under the recharge-control...thing on her forearm.
Once they were done playing with the wiring, I was able to get into the sewing room. Got the duster and godet hemmed; hemmed the sleeves on the undershirt. All that remains is to finish the arm guards and slip-stitch a couple of places where top stitching would have been a serious problem -- around the pockets and the facings on the arms.
Finally moved over to Tasha about three hours ago. My intention for tonight was to finally hem the bloody thing and get the zipper in. I'd already basted the hem, drawing up on the bobbin thread to help fit the curves. Today, I ironed it and took it to the machine. I opted for a long straight stitch, as I knew there shouldn't be too much stretch left in the hem. I was wrong. ::sigh:: Took it out and redid it with a narrow zigzag, and things were much smoother.
Yesterday, when I basted the hem, I also put two strips of interfacing on the front, to keep the fabric from stretching when I put the zipper in. This is a lesson from hard experience on my previous costumes, and one I think I've finally mastered. Keeping the bustline seams aligned with a separating zipper caused a bit of anxiety, but I took my time and things worked out beautifully. There may have been a Snoopy!dance involved once I tried it on this evening...
So excited with how well the bustline seams lined up -- I cannot tell you how excited!
I still need to top stitch the front, but I need to check my collar alignment first, as I made a bit of a mod to the front that will need to be top stitched down along with the zip.
It's odd -- because the bust portion isn't lined with the power mesh, and because the light is hitting it differently than the torso, it looks like different colors. Believe it or not, it's the same fabric, cut in the same direction, under the same lighting. The angle and stress is just completely different!
And the turquoise strips almost look like they're glowing...
Now, off to commune with the muses. I really need to update my outline for the changes the characters wrought in the last two chapters...
Yrien
Sr Member
Ahhhhh that looks so good! The turquoise seriously pops. It looks great.
Ugh, I can feel a migraine threatening. Back to bed for a bit and hopefully I can get rid of it enough to do some costume work later. I've got my fake arrows cut and painted to stick in the quiver, and I've got the quiver itself put together (except for the strapping, which I'm going to need an extra set of hands to help measure so I'll have to wait til tonight when my husband's home) and started painting it last night. Hopefully I can finish the first coat of paint today, and paint the fletching (though I may need to go out and get some more purple paint because my bottle is old and goopy).
The turquoise seriously pops. It looks great. Ugh, I can feel a migraine threatening.
Back to bed for a bit and hopefully I can get rid of it enough to do some costume work later. I've got my fake arrows cut and painted to stick in the quiver, and I've got the quiver itself put together (except for the strapping, which I'm going to need an extra set of hands to help measure so I'll have to wait til tonight when my husband's home) and started painting it last night. Hopefully I can finish the first coat of paint today, and paint the fletching (though I may need to go out and get some more purple paint because my bottle is old and goopy).
